Brick Repair Guide - This is the best and most complete do it yourself guide to brick
repair. It will help you to locate replacement bricks if needed, determine which
materials are needed, how to match your mortar, and more.

It can be difficult to choose the right masonry repair
company when you
don't know much about
how to repair
masonry. This is especially true in the Dallas Fort Worth area due to
the number of brick repair companies in the area.

What you should know is that not all
brick repair services are the
same. While most of them have years of experience in the industry, they
don't always have the best experience and training. This is not to say
that they cannot repoint mortar joints or replace bricks. Almost any idiot
can do that. However, most of the local companies don't even know that
they don't know how to repair masonry properly.

To better explain this, you need to know the difference between
mortar matching and
Mortar Matching. To most masonry repair companies,
mortar matching is
the process of attempting to match the mortar color and make the cracks
disappear, and they tend to have trouble with this. There are some who
match the mortar colors quite well, but this is not
mortar matching.

Mortar Matching requires testing samples of the
existing mortar to
determine the composition, mortar type, and formula. From this, a
matching
mortar can be produced and the color may then be matched. This type of
mortar
analysis can only be done in the lab, and is not a simple test to be
performed by anyone.

These tests are performed for commercial and historic restorations all
the time, and should be used in residential restorations also because they
are the standard protocol for masonry
repair as set forth by the ASTM and other organizations that regulate
masonry restoration or preservation.

Within the Dallas-Fort Worth area, there are very few
masonry
contractors that even know about testing mortars for matching their
composition, and even fewer that take the time to do the testing. They
make general assumptions about the mortar and then they mix their mortar
without an understanding of the composition that they are even making.

During the installation, the mortar is often made by the lowest paid
and least trained person on the job, and they tend to have made changes to
the mortar composition or type by adding more sand or mix. Then, when a
repair company attempts to remix premade bags of type n mortar or use less
than the whole package, they are changing the mortar formula unknowingly.

We are among the few masonry repair companies in the Dallas - Fort
Worth area that test mortar samples and get their original composition
formula, match mortar color, and mix our mortar from the base ingredients
which allows us to provide a perfect mortar match and a proper
masonry
repair that lasts.

Brick Repair Dallas Fort Worth

Brick repair in DallasFort Worth has a
variety of project types. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we have repaired many
different masonry problems. In most cases, the cracks in the
brick and
mortar were a result of the foundation settling.

As I once heard, "There are two types of
homes in Fort Worth. There are those that have foundation settling cracks
in the mortar and brick, and those that will have cracks." This is because
of our local soil. It is highly expansive and when you add to that our
heat over the summer and seasonal droughts, the expansive soil dries and
shrinks. When this happens, you will need
foundation repair to lift the
foundation, and brick mortar repair to seal the mortar cracks.

Due to the designs of each home, the areas
that crack will be different and may require different methods of repair
to correct the masonry mortar cracking. Below are a few short articles
that will help you understand the types of masonry problems and how to repair the mortar cracks.

Masonry Repair Articles Dallas/Fort Worth

Brick Repair Cost

How Much Does Brick Repair Cost?

Call to get a quote : 214-295-4742

This is the most common question we are asked. In order to
answer this question, we must tell you a little about masonry repair.

When preparing to repair masonry mortars and cracks, the
mortar used for repair must match the original mortar. While this sounds
easy enough, it is far more challenging than you might expect. Matching to
an original mortar can only be done through extensive mortar testing
performed by a qualified mortar testing lab. The testing lab must be able
to test hardened mortars to determine their composition and mortar type.
If the mortar type is not matched, the new mortar can cause further damage
or not bond into the mortar joints of your wall.

Mortar Matching Analysis

This is why the official guidelines of masonry restoration
specify the need for
mortar analysis and matching, and that it is done
through compliance with certain ASTM testing standards.

As these are the regulated guidelines of the industry,
they would carry over into inclusion with the sale of any repaired
property. Should a repair be performed that doesn't properly match and/or
without the report from a testing lab specifying an appropriate repair
mortar, the seller of such a property could likely be forced to
re-purchase the property.

For all of these reasons, mortar testing is required
before any repair can be performed to the masonry. You will notice the AMR
Mortar Testing Labs logo proudly displayed on our site as they provide the
most complete analysis and most usable information of any testing lab we
have used.

The cost of
mortar analysis and
color matching are additional costs to complete a proper mortar repair.

AMR Labs produces bags of
custom
mortar at a cost of $70.00 per box. The average repair project uses 2
boxes of custom mortar. If your project is small, you are looking at an
additional $140.00 for 2 boxes of mortar. Then, there are
mobilization, labor, and other charges.

The average mortar repair project costs between $500.00
and $1500.00.

Brick Repair Estimate

In most cases, we can quote a price from pictures of the areas
to be repaired and a few project details. (Please tell us: Is the home single
story/two story, about how many cracks, are any cracks wider than a pencil, are
any brick broken, and do you have replacement brick if needed.)

Be sure to include these details, pictures, and contact
information (Name, Job Address, Phone) and send it to us at
dfwbricksales@gmail.com

Be sure to click send/receive in your email client to ensure
prompt delivery.

Masonry tuckpointing is the process of
pointing or
repointing the mortar between the brick, block, or stone of a
masonry structure or veneer. It typically requires removing some of the
old mortar from the mortar joints before
masonry repointing can be
performed. This is due to the ability of mortars to get a proper bond.
Bonding requires about 3/4 of an inch depth and a clean moist surface to
get the best bond.

Alamo Masonry specializes in
brick repointing and was among the first companies to specialize in
repointing
brickwork. Brick pointing or tuckpointing brick requires attention to
detail, and knowledge of how the original work went together.

We also specialize in
house foundation
repairs. This combination of our specialties provides us with a better
understanding of what is causing your brick mortar to crack, and allows us
to fix the cause of the cracking and repair the cracked mortar joints and
broken bricks.

Our experience in new
construction of
these projects is very helpful in being able to repair them safely and
properly, and the little details make big differences. Even a change in
the gradation of the sand will change the appearance and
crushing pressure
of the mortar.

At Alamo Masonry, we focus on the details. Each projects
original mortar is tested and examined so as to get a more perfect match
because repairs don't have to look like repairs, and a proper repair
should not even be able to be found. We match your mortar's color,
crushing pressure, texture, tooling, and the color and gradation of the
sand as accurately as possible.

In order to do this,
Alamo Masonry Repair
developed a testing facility and
mobile testing labs for our trucks. Each
truck is rigged out with everything needed to
test and match mortars, and
to produce AMR
mortar repair products.
AMR Mortars are the only mortars made
specifically for repair and repointing mortar joints.

AMR Mortars are the only mortars available
that allow you to make smaller volumes of mortar in the various tones and
colors needed for any mortar match and are available in any
mortar type.

5. Pests – Protect your home and family from various
infestations. Animals and insects tend to find cracks in
your brick home appealing, because they are warm in the
winter and cool in the summer. If you have such cracks in your brick, be cautious of possible
infestations. They will find a means of entry. Some of the most common are:

Spiders -

Snakes -

Lizards -

Rodents -

Insects -

A variety of others creatures

Many of the above pests, once inside the brick, will spread throughout your home.
.

All of these concerns can be resolved by having the experts
at Alamo Masonry repair the cracked or damaged
brick and mortar around your
masonry home.

Alamo Masonry Specializes in
brick repairand
foundation
repair. This is because of how these two fields are related. In order to
specialize in Brick Repair, we have to fully understand the cause of the
cracks in brick and mortar joints. Most of the time, the
cracks in the brick
mortar are a result of the foundation settling, and in order to properly repair
your home and fix the cracks in the brick mortar, you may need to stabilize and
fix your house foundation.

Most foundation repairs are localized to certain areas of the
home, but can be all around the house foundation. We take the time to determine
if there are major concerns with your
foundation and if it may need
foundation
repair before the brick are repaired.

Many brick repairs can be completed without installing
foundation piers, but each project has to be analyzed to determine this detail.
Generally, if the cracks are small, they can be repaired, but may require an
expansion control joint to arrest the movement's potential to
damage the brick
mortar.

We can generally gather enough information from you over the
phone and sometimes by email to determine if the repairs are likely to require
foundation piers, but will still perform an on site inspection to confirm the
repairs and the costs of repairs before the project is completed. Some
inspections may cost, but are applied to the contract if accepted.

Did you know that most
re-cracking and other brick damage are
related to the mortar used not the movement of your foundation. This is why we
use only AMR Mortars. They are the best mortars available on the market and are
made specifically for brick mortar repair.

You can save hundreds of dollars using AMR Pre-Matched Mortars.
Pre-Matched Mortars make
Brick Repair easy and affordable. AMR does the hard
part for you. AMR analyzes and matches the mortar type and color. All you need to do
is inject it into the mortar joints and tool it. It's that easy.

Only Alamo Masonry Repair Products deliver the quality you
deserve. Every sample is lab tested and matched to the original mortar of your
structure, and must pass the approval of our lab technicians before any
Pre-Matched Mortars are made.

We match the mortar in color, texture, and crushing pressure to the original mortar of your home.

Dallas/Fort Worth Masonry Repair Service

We provide North Texas brick repair, masonry repair, tuckpointing,
masonry restoration, and mortar matching services in the Fort Worth
and Dallas. Our masonry repairs are blended to match the original
masonry mortars of each house.

We provide an exact match of mortars and brick matching for
masonry
repair or settling cracks and mortar deterioration and damage. At
Alamo Masonry Repair, we are dedicated to quality and provide the best
brick repair, perfect mortar matching, and are the best
masonry repair
company in Fort Worth and Dallas Texas.

When the foundation settles and cracks the bricks and mortar, you will
need to level and repair your foundation before any brick repair or
mortar repair of the masonry. This process is known as foundation
repair and requires foundation piers installed under the foundation of
your house to lift and level the foundation. After the foundation
repairs are completed, you are ready to repair the foundation settling
cracks in the brick mortar.

To repair mortar cracks, you must first determine the mortar type and
mortar formula for matching the mortar. Mortar matching is done
through mortar testing and mortar analysis of mortar samples from the
building. These samples of mortar are tested to identify the mortar
type, composition, compressive strength, mortar formula, performance,
color and gradation of the sand, and other details about the original
mortar used.

The report of testing results for the mortar are analyzed and a
formula for matching your mortar is produced. Without mortar testing,
there is no way to properly match mortars.

Then you need to get the brick and mortar repair materials for your
masonry repair. Brick matching can be difficult, and you may need to
use matching brick from a patio or planter. However, if you have a
mortar testing report, matching the mortar will be easy. You can get
the masonry binders and mix the mortar per the formula in the mortar
testing report or get custom made mortars from AMR Labs.

After you have the matching mortar and bricks for your repair, you can
remove the mortar and broken bricks, and prepare the damaged mortar or
bricks for replacement. Then mix your mortar with sand and water and
tuckpoint the mortar into the mortar joints using a pointing trowel or
inject the mortar with a grout bag.

Tool the mortar joints to match the original mortar and brush away
loose and excess mortar from the mortar repair. Clean any mortar
smears off of the bricks and you have completed a proper mortar repair
and masonry repair.

DFW Brick Repair

In Dallas and
Fort Worth and the surrounding
DFW brick repair area, we
provide masonry repair services, and restore the
brick, stone, block, and mortar for residential brick repair and
commercial brick repair projects after the foundation repairs are
completed.